Indian army chief refuses to rule out surgical strikes against Pakistan

NEW DELHI: Indian army chief General Bipin Rawat on Friday didn’t rule out surgical strikes against Pakistan, if peace and tranquility was violated on border.

Rawat said Islamabad must reciprocate New Delhi’s offer of peace and tranquility in an appropriate manner.

“If you reciprocate in the same manner and accept peace and tranquility on the border, we will go along and the necessity of conduct of surgical strike in the future should not arise. But if that offer of peace and tranquility is not reciprocated in an appropriate manner or in a manner in which we are making that offer then this method of execution of operation will continue,” Rawat said.

In September 2016, India purportedly carried out this operation against suspected militants attempting to infiltrate from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir after a militant attack at army’s base camp in Kashmir left 19 soldiers dead. Though, Pakistan denies the allegation.

The troops of arch rivals India and Pakistan intermittently exchange fire on Line of Control (LoC), despite an agreement in 2003 that a ceasefire should be observed along the working boundary.

Both New Delhi and Islamabad blame each other for resorting to unprovoked firings.

India and Pakistan have fought two of their three wars over Muslim-majority Kashmir, which they both claim in full, but rule in part.__Tribune.com